The present invention relates to a surveying machine for construction work used to set up new stations lying in a vertical plane, new stations lying in a vertical plane being perpendicular to the first-mentioned vertical plane or new stations lying in a horizontal plane.
In the surveying for construction work carried out prior to actual construction to set up new stations serving as references of the construction work, measurements to set up various angles are contemplated, but it will be readily understood, from the viewpoint of many buildings or structures being based on the right angles, that most of angle measurements are made to set up the right angles.
The conventional measurement of right angle will be considered by way of example in reference with FIG. 11 of the attached drawings. To set up a new station C lying on a line which is perpendicular to the line connecting existing stations A and B, the measurement has been made according to a sequence as follows:
(1) A theodolite D is installed on the existing station B.
(2) The existing station A is sighted through the theodolite D.
(3) The theodolite D is turned by an angle of 90.degree..
(4) A surveying engineer E indicates by gesture a station to be sighted through the theodolite D.
(5) A laying off operator F marks the new station in response to the indication by the surveying engineer E.
As will be apparent from the sequence usually required for surveying, the surveying machine of prior art has inevitably encountered inconveniences as will be enumerated below during the surveying for construction work carried out according to the conventional surveying procedure.
(1) At least one surveying engineer E is essential to sight a target through the theodolite D and to turn the theodolite D.
(2) Such operation requires expert technique as well as high skillfullness.
(3) Marking for the new station is performed indirectly by the laying off operator F in response to the indication by surveying engineer E, resulting in a time-consuming and unreliable operation.
Accordingly, the present invention broadly resides in a surveying machine for construction work comprising rotating projector means adapted for rotational projection of at least a pair of laser beams in planes being perpendicular to each other.
As a specific measure, the invention provides a surveying machine for construction work comprising two or three radiant optical systems each adapted to radiate laser light emitted from a light source in the form of a laser beam, and rotating projector means adapted for rotational projection of said laser beams radiated from said two or three radiant optical systems in planes being perpendicular to one another, respectively.
A tilt of the laser beams rotationally projected by the rotating projector means may be arbitrarily adjusted, if required.
As a specific measure to solve the problems in a more direct manner, the invention provides a surveying machine for construction work comprising at least a pair of radiant optical systems each adapted to radiate laser light emitted from a light source in the form of a laser beam, and rotating projector means adapted for rotational projection of said laser beams radiated from said pair of radiant optical systems in vertical planes being perpendicular to each other, respectively.
The present invention further provides the surveying machine as has been mentioned immediately above, wherein there is provided a semi-transmissive reflector or prism adapted to divide the laser light emitted from the light source into two or three directions and there are provided two or three radiant optical systems adapted to radiate said two or three divided laser light rays in the form of laser beams, respectively.
In addition, the invention provides the surveying machine as has been mentioned just above, wherein there is additionally provided a radiant optical system to form an additional laser beam and there are provided rotating projector means adapted for rotational projection of three laser beams in the vertical planes being perpendicular to each other and in a horizontal plane, respectively.
Further, the present invention provides the surveying machine as has been mentioned just above, wherein there is provided within each radiant optical system a compensator adapted to maintain the rotationally projected laser beam in a horizontal or vertical plane regardless of a tilt of the machine body.
Surveying operation to set up right angles by use of the surveying machine for construction work of the invention will be described by way of example in reference with FIG. 10 of the attached drawings. The operation is made according to the following sequence.
(1) The surveying machine S for construction work of the invention is installed so that an intersecting point B' of the laser beams L1, L2 lying adjacent said machine S is vertically aligned with the existing station B.
(2) The one rotationally projected laser beam L1 is brought in coincidence with the existing station A.
(3) The laying off operator F directly marks a point irradiated with the other laser beam L2 which is perpendicular to said laser beam L1.
With a consequence, the following advantages are achieved over the surveying of prior art.
(1) The surveying engineer F is no longer necessary and therefore the labor saving is reliably achieved at least by one person.
(2) Both the expert technique and the skillfullness having conventionally been required to turn the theodolite D and to sight a target therethrough are no longer required.
(3) Marking of the new stations can be rapidly and precisely achieved by directly marking the points irradiated with the laser beam L2.
The surveying machine for construction work serving also as a leveling instrument can be provided by rotationally projecting one of two laser beams being perpendicular to each other in a horizontal plane.
The surveying machine for construction work serving as a leveling instrument can be provided also by incorporating an additional optical system in the above-mentioned surveying machine so as to form an additional laser beam which is to be rotationally projected in a horizontal plane.
When each radiant optical system contains therein a compensator, the rotationally projected laser beams can be maintained in vertical planes regardless of tilt of the machine body.
The surveying machine for construction work serving also as the leveling instrument can be provided also by modifying said surveying machine including the beam splitter such as the semi-transmissive reflector or prism adapted to divide the laser beam emitted from the light source, the radiant optical system or the like into two directions so that there is additionally provided a beam splitter to form an additional laser beam to be rotationally projected in a horizontal plane.
Further scope of applicability of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description given hereinafter. However, it should be understood that the detailed description and specific examples, while indicating preferred embodiments of the invention, are given by way of illustration only, since various changes and modifications within the spirit and scope of the invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from this detailed description.